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The study was carried out at the farmer's field of Juri Upazilla, Maulavibazar District during 2008-2009, 2009-2010, and 2011-2012 to find out the proper combination of fertilizer nutrients that promotes better fruit yield and quality of mandarin (cv. Khashi Kamla). The treatments were Native nutrient i.e., control (TI), N150P50K150Mg30 (T2), N200P75K175Mg40 (T3), N250P100 K200Mg50 (T4), N300P125K225Mg60 (T5), and N200P75K175Mg0 (T6) g/plant/year. In addition, 20 kg cowdung/plant was used as blanket dose. Yield components, yield, and TSS content (%) of mandarin varied significantly due to variation of nutrients in all the test years. Fruit yield/plant was improved significantly with increase in NPK and Mg dose irrespective of years. Application of Mg in combination with NPK increased 17-157% mean fruit yield over magnesium control. Significantly the highest yield and yield attributes were recorded under treatment N300 P125 K225 Mg60 g/plant (T5) along with 20 kg cowdung/plant in all the years. Total soluble sugar (%) content was also maximum in trees receiving N300P125K225Mg30 g/plant. The highest gross margin and marginal rate of return were achieved by the same treatment (T5). The lowest fruit yield/plant was obtained from untreated control plot (native nutrient). Three years’ study revealed that application of N300P125K225Mg60 along with 20 kg cowdung/plant would be economically optimum for achieving higher yield and better fruit quality in mandarin grown under piedmont plain soil. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/bjar.v38i3.16969 Bangladesh J. Agril. Res. 38(3): 425-433, September 2013

Labour scarcity, harvesting loss, timely harvesting and harvesting cost are crucial in rice and wheat harvesting in Bangladesh. Combine harvester is a newly introduced harvesting machine in Bangladesh. This study was undertaken to evaluate the technical and economic performance of combine harvester available in farmers" field and farmer"s perception regarding the use of combine. Field tests of two new (CLASS andDaedong) and two refresh (Kukje and Anower) combine harvesters were conducted for harvesting rice and wheat in the farners" field of Jessore, Pabna,Dinajpurand Thakurgaon districts during 2011-12. Primary data were collected from 30 adopter and 30 non-adopter farmers from each district of Bogra, Rangpur, Dinajpur and Thakurgaon through direct interviewingduring 2012-13. Information was also collected from different combine harvester traders available in Bangladesh. Average time, cost and grain saving by combine harvester over manual methods were 97.50, 35.00 and 2.75%, respectively. Benefit cost ratio of CLASS, Daedong, Kukje and Anower combine harvesters were found to be 2.68, 2.11, 2.29 and 2.70, respectively. The payback periods of refresh combine harvesters were lower than the new combine harvester. There were some mechanical problems observed in refresh combine harvesters during field operations. New harvester was observed almost trouble free and popular to the famers. Scarcity of spare parts and mechanic service were the main problems for repair and maintenance of the combine harvesters in farm level. Considering the technical performance of combine harvester and demand of the farmers, new combine harvester may be introduced in commercial basis in Bangladesh.

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